VA Drama

Trump Sick Of VA Drama, Forces Secretary To Listen To Pete Hegseth On Privatization Legislation

President Donald Trump punked the VA Secretary while the two met in the Oval Office by forcing him to hear out VA reform thoughts from Fox’s Pete Hegseth last week.

Following exposure of a scandal involving misuse of taxpayer funds, the situation at VA has devolved into little more than a reality TV show with the Secretary repeatedly declaring victory to the press without the authority or supporting facts.

RELATED: Shulkin, Staff Misled Ethics Officials

In response, during the most recent Oval Office meeting, President Trump forced Shulkin to address his vision of private health care expansion against that of Pete Hegseth, who took a call from Trump during the meeting.

President Trump is known for pitting two decisionmakers against each other to defend their respective positions. He most recently did this when considering whether to increase tariffs on steel and aluminum.

Presently, there are two sides on legislation Trump is weighing. One is more aggressive, supported by Sen. Jerry Moran. The other, more moderate, is supported by Sen. Johnny Isakson.

Shulkin apparently had to dispute his side against Hegseth on the spot, a confrontation Trump probably stirred up to send a message to Shulkin about his antics with the press.

RELATED: Shulkin Warned About Yellow Snow, Eats It Anyway

Hegseth previously was considered for the top spot before Trump picked Shulkin to assume the post of former secretary Robert McDonald.

McDonald and Shulkin reportedly did not like each other, and McDonald felt Shulkin failed to address clean-up of the Veterans Health Administration when negative stories surfaced, forcing then deputy secretary Sloan Gibson to lead in the press.

RELATED: Shulkin Chief Of Staff Resigns Amidst Coup

When Shulkin was selected for the new secretary, McDonald was reportedly furious and internal reports surfaced that Shulkin orchestrated a coup of sorts to oust McDonald behind his back.

More Dish From Axiom

The drama at the Department of Veterans Affairs is taking on all the layers of a hit reality TV show with good guys, bad guys, a drama queen, and a little subversion.

Axiom just reported the inside scoop on the unfolding drama concluding with Trump warning Shulkin that if doesn’t stop running to the press directly to stir the pot he may get himself fired. Instead, Shulkin’s marching orders are to push forward with expanding Veterans Choice through legislation while White House chief of staff John Kelly will resolve problems with insubordinate White House appointees.

Trump was particularly peeved by Shulkin reportedly running his mouth to the press about his imagined authority to purge the agency. This was not an accurate report.

Kelly slammed Shulkin about mischaracterizing the meeting and his purge authority.

Immediately after the second meeting, Shulkin again ran to the press and reiterated his claim that he was able to remove employees who did not support him. Kelly shut that down, too.

The White House is deeply troubled by the move because it puts internal turmoil on display for the entire country to see rather than discretely handling his struggles with White House appointees. Basically, Shulkin’s actions make the White House look bad, and Trump demands the behavior stop.

At this time, Shulkin has cut off communication with all White House appointees he believes seek to undercut his authority. He did this after asserting to the press that certain White House appointees were engaged in subversion, and driving a very public wedge between his office and those Trump requires him to work with.

RELATED: Meet The Public Affairs Staff Accused Of Subversion

Now, are those appointees subverting Shulkin by pursuing the President’s instructions to push the White House agenda at all costs?

Or, if the question is subversion, is Shulkin subverting the White House by way of pushing out Trump’s appointees he put in place to keep VA in line?

Could those appointees be marching to the beat of a different drummer like the Koch Brothers, which may not be in-line with the goals of Trump or Shulkin?

Source: https://www.axios.com/trump-losing-patience-with-va-secretary-david-shulkin-a21b0703-2d7d-44d4-b2ad-60b913563741.html?source=sidebar

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78 Comments

  1. think of all the money we will save by not building hospitals, staffing and supplying them, in the billions… and all the Veterans lives that would be saved. It would also free the captive patients the VHA has and they(afge members)would have to actually work or go hungry.

  2. Good ideas are being written out here. Who will listen? Not Shulky. Not the corrupt benefiting from it all one way or the other… and all those connected.

    Turmoil? We need to see what really happens behind closed doors and full transparency. Secrecy, for protections sake of some, or for national security be damned. Minus the middle men, okay, people, lousy media, just put it out there on CSPAN for all to see, live. Or, is the ‘turmoil’ just another dog and pony show while they go party together, eat fancy steak dinners together, call each other ‘friends’ or buddies all working for the gov? Kinda like Congress, Senate and other corrupt trash do. They are not reps for the people. Once in office they all become friends and BFFs. Pretend to be enemies but will they all meet at the DC pedophile club or … dahhlins all of us in high society are meeting at the country club tonight for champagne, steaks, caviar …or a ride on Pelosi’s special jet….. dahlings. “Eyes Wide Shut.” Spoken in that high society, city, cultured, kinda voice. Or is it ‘dawwwlings?’ I think ya get it.

    Trump reportedly tells ass-ociates, per Axios, he doesn’t know what’s happened at the VA? No liking what he is hearing? O really? He seemed to know all about the issues and was going to immediately fix it once in office. “America first, second, third.” Cough cough barf. How many vets have died and suffered or lost all hope in his first year and more so far while the game is played? How many in the last 24? If I were Trump, Shulky, Pence-ter, whomever, I damn well know for a fact what I’d be doing and it wouldn’t be sitting on my ass, playing golf, foreign visits, photo ops, hiring swamp monsters, Hugabbee types/nepotism, or Marxist like Nikki Holey, begging for wars, stupid useless meetings, playing world leader, threatening the world for Israel, stacking the deck with Israelites, etc. Oh and no just calling Petey Hegseth who made many claims and promoted his CVA that seems to me useless, or here anyway. But he got a job on Faux and can talk a good game. Like they say… ‘talk is cheap.” Especially those in the professions of “talk,” jaw jacking, talking heads, meaningless chatter, fake news or propaganda. Or makes claims of wanting to be contacted by harmed vets, etc., only for us to hit brick walls and no replies after making such … claims, and promotions. Hegseth seems to be doing well, making big bucks, and got his job knowing whose toes he can’t step on … ever. That includes those at the VA or some gov agency or broadcasters/owners. Will he take on the phony FDA and other fascist creeps who tell us what is good or bad, or what we need to eat or use? Pete may have some positives about him but he can’t speak for all of us. He damned sure isn’t in pain daily with little quality of life due to changes or collective punishments. He can’t cover or know about all the many issues we deal with either VA or post VA after the abuse and threats. There again. If I was younger, in better condition, in their positions, I would not be just sitting on my ass spewing trash on TV or looking pretty and fitting in with the NY city slickers or hip- slick-and cool socialites around him, or having to suck up to and appease. If I asked people for comments, stories, info, I sure wouldn’t make contact impossible and jump off to cover more distractions and games.

    Did anyone else try to get through on Faux months back before Petey got his job? About having a half hour and days later to email them and an attorney that was on claiming they wanted to hear from vets and VA abuse, etc. Then low and behold the email addy they gave and that of Fox would not function, not at all for that and for days. Then they claim ten minutes later on getting hundreds of emails from vets and hundred of complaints? Damn odd to me, then they went on like everything was scripted. CVA response or contact wasn’t to be had or easily found either. So more BS. IMHO Anytime any of those clowns say to email them about something they act like they get overwhelmed by replies…. even though the email didn’t function or show cannot be contacted. Odd. Everything was fine on my end. When I did get one through a month later not one reply from Faux.

    Locally, in my hood there is NO turmoil. Not real turmoil. I’ve seen more real turmoil, heart felt discussions, honesty, to fist fights at AA meetings over politics, religions, etc. Communist, far left, Demoncrats, Mossad, colleges, Cath-o-licks, phony evangels, Freemasons to Scientology and beyond run the occupied sunk ship called Indiana. What kind of true or real turmoil exist with such a network of deceivers, evils, liars, tyrants, at play in the arena? They all know the future outcome. More like jesters. A true Republican, Constitutionalist, conservative, American nationalist, doesn’t stand a snow-balls chance in hell of getting in office or getting a word in edgewise here, as was reported by the last half-assed conservative being able to sit in on the city council. Then all the rest of the so-called ‘turmoil,’ drama, or conflicts like over a budget, state’s issues, or more taxes, taxes for the arenas/civic centers, beverage taxes to support..crap, became practically non existent, “not for public consumption.” They all have to go back to having secret meetings, come out with more drama, put on a pretend battle, wins for the far left of course, just more facade of drama and pretend/acting. Citizens, conservatives, those not wanting more taxation to pacify the herd, group-think, colleges…lose. Just the country clubbers and elite win. Drama and openly displayed ‘turmoils’ ceased oddly enough when the unions and other special interest all got their demands met, one way or the other. AND they all knew the outcomes before hand! With all the oligarchs, cliques, to the megalomaniacs, tyrants, comrades, psychopaths, still in power generationally/nepotism, or connected. AS the many distractions carry on but it seems ‘they all’ know what’s coming around the pike or bend. I think this crap runs parallel to the likes of Washington DC or State house. You know, like wrestlers do. Fake the hate, get a few injuries when on display, then all go play and party afterwards while rolling in the bucks, romping in Hollywood delights, and hookers. With plenty of people believing that Wrestle Mania actors is for real, not show. Please. To be cont…

    1. Cutting off communications. Like there was any real communications going on in the first place? “Took a few weeks to land on his radar..??!!!!” Well that’s all a double DUH! Gotta give all the various factions and clubs/cliques ruling DC to plan their next moves while all the back and forth, distractions, games, chronic censoring/disinformation, and attacks on some vets/citizens is going on. Just where are we and censoring, being attacked, silenced at on the DC, Oval office, Congress’ priority list? Must be way down thar.

      Where will those like Shulky go if booted out? He does need booted along with countless others in every state in the corrupt union, and will Trumpster do it finally? He (Shulky) has to land somewhere very comfy and to his liking, to pacify some deep-state cliques in DC and Fed agencies. Ahem, like they treat high rollers, high society criminals, and well connected over white collar crimes and such. Fancy special prisons like Camp Cupcake or the likes. Ahem… where Hillary belongs but notice not much being reported on her illegal activities and more going on, kept out of minds of the sheep, hopefully swept under the carpet so more filth in DC will look good in the phony history books. Really great distractions going on even if it kills us all or into a world war. What happened to old Weiner with all that secret info on his wife’s lap top, besides the porn??? Got to give the actors in DC a grammy for sure. My oh my isn’t the “game” exciting and fun!!!

      The “Scoop” should be: Why is somebody who can easily say “you’re fired” to someone, even on a show for Hollowwood, claim to be tough, intolerant on some issues, be so complacent and backwards, with those in DC for generations wearing blinders/ear-plugs when dealing with issues like vet care, the corrupt loser traitors, filth, in our government/VA/media/all health care to scum activist???? He and the team should be bouncing from state to state doing deep investigations, zero distractions, no appeasing the cliques, commie academia and their egg sucking teachings to bedside manners, lying local medias, or networks, and firing the hell out of everyone and everything involved in vet abuse, the nasty VA to the civilian sectors, local corruption, period. Medical boards, hospital admin, deal with the scum sucking unions, the activist, the psychos, all that have no place around or in health care at all.

      All with one major priority being over censoring, free speech and repercussion protections for us who refuse to shut up, and known of by the enemies/networks. Hell, do we have a Constitution, Bill or Rights, etc., or what? Or were they all flushed by the 1920s or 30s turned corporate empire and us serfs with no rights. Their pick I guess. No excuses Trumpster or Congress critters. Sheep don’t care. Frogs in the heating pot don’t seem to care … yet. I do. What’s the old saying? “Shit or get off the pot.” There are some things ol’ Petey, VSOs, governors, media, won’t dare mention or harp on.

      Hey Trumpster! Cease the globalist empire constant war shit and have conventions for vets in every state. Outside of dangerous large activist city life. If you can blow money traveling the world and playing games ya all, and I mean YOU ALL can do this, easily:

      Bring in the scum at the top, governors, mayors, media, medical board reps, VA chain of command, state vet agencies who refuse do their jobs, cowardly VSOs, those who laugh at us trying to find heath care or pain meds. Medical school heads and their threat power sources. All the hospital admins, and have them force out the many kinds of activist in the field of care. Have HIPPA and other investigators present. Call in the clinics or MDs who think it’s ethical or good to make us sit in waiting rooms for up to, and over six freaking hours!!! Bring in the whole sheebang of hotdogs, “professionals,” gods, and honorables, who aren’t so honorable or ethical. You’d have to fix Medicare, the many high tech failures, the fiasco of file sharing, keeping, to find the activist info leakers for retaliation and activist fun or identity politicking. Mucho corruption/nepotism (like you practice) that encompasses everything top to bottom, inflated costs, scamming, Med fraud, all the bureaucracy. And their little dogs too, the insurance companies that aren’t mentioned much either. For us who can’t go back to any VA care and pretty much ruined civy care for us too due to politics, threats, union crap, and activism are pretty well already screwed no matter what. If others enjoy their VA care fine, THINK they get quality care (many have died thinking so), keep it and stay out others business or thinking you may know what’s going on for all of us. No need to come to our conventions to cheerlead or sing Kumbaya and blow smoke or fairy dust.

      All the crap going on and Pete thinking privatization is a fix? Will it be like some road ways or whatever, sell it off to China for our care, Africa, or Israel? Highest or lowest bidders? Join our care in with some toll road bill for passage. Maybe Monsanto/others can fix the problems easily… spray us all with magic dust.

      So Trumpster, you’d have one hell of a lot of things to attack for the smallest amount of change. But it can/could be done. Even I could do it if I had your powers. Oh, but we vets are so incompetent and stupid, or can’t be trusted with pain meds even, or oxygen, and such we must allow the VA, so-called experts, fascist to destroy us to save us from ourselves?? How cool is that! Where there is the will there is the way, correct? Hey! You could even bring in MDs like the good doctor Elaina George MD and others who are not very shy about telling it the way it is in the rip-off and corrupted medical world. Want truth? Don’t censor it, let freedom ring buddy. She also didn’t care too much for Obummer care, and also left the traditional corrupt medical profiteering systems, many times corrupted by governmental forces, and insurance games that be.

      If every other cause or activist can do it, we should be able to. Let’s play United Nations or like a NFL game is going to happen, but leave them and the unions at home, they have plenty of media and communications to push their agendas. Leave Pence at home too, he had his chance to help in Indiana but refused to help or listen, and bowed to his masters while ignoring us vets with some serious issues or staff telling us to just go back to the VA and deal with PAs. Same thing with our assholes and freaks in charge in Indiana now are doing or not saying now, just ignoring. Zero concerns or action. How’s about it Trump? I’d get there if I had to crawl or die trying. Shit or get off the pot.

      Oh oh. Now I hear rumors that Indiana is out to arrest, confiscate stuff, no warrants needed, and get people for thought crimes or pre-crime interrogations. Like 1984 wasn’t enough now it’s “Minority Report” and going full fledged police state on our asses. Been waiting for that. Going from open air censored, tightly controlled concentration camp living to Mid-East styled, Soviet styled, gulags and camp living. “Red Flag” laws coming by the “Reds.” How quaint and fitting. Just what Hillary, Bloomberg, Obummer/others wanted. Where are you TRUMP?!! Yep, threats about shots in the head, or my thinking of firing squads or worse coming soon I reckon. Let’s all go back to the distraction games. They know where to hit and divide us while the roof caves in.

      I wish I could keep up. Have a nice day out there.

      1. Ooops! I guess the rumors are true. What can sheep do being herded to the slaughter house? Vets being targets for.. whatever, is okay. Nothing. While media focuses on activist school kiddies, love stories about Hippos, stupidity, more Hillary and Obummer crap, and communist demands.

        “https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/item/28472-red-flag-warning-states-confiscating-guns-by-ignoring-4th-amendment”

        Part of the reason why Indiana is anti-truth, censored like crazy, anti-Constitution living, dangerous, where some (most) can run amuck, break laws, do as they please in power positions, behind closed door, secretly, threaten, hamper basics or quality of life, or kill and it won’t make news. College campus living, wowzer! Who needs safety, a Constitution, freedom of speech, “right to petition government for redress of grievances is the right to make a complaint to, or seek the assistance of, one’s government, without fear of punishment or reprisals,” anyway.

  3. It occurs to me if VA leadership really wanted to see whats what on the benefits side at least. All they would have to do is create a bunch of “test” cases. Hire some paid actors and sprinkle these “cases” through all 50 states. When an in person appearance is required the actor goes in wired for sound and video. Since this isn’t an actual veteran and not an actual case then privacy laws need not be a concern. I think this would be an excellent way to gain meaningful insight into what actually goes on on the claims side of things. Also possibly on the Voc Rehab side as well. Shit employees would be exposed for termination and wait times would be carefully annotated for VA leadership inquiry. Like I said…if they really wanted to…

  4. You know, if we really wanted Shulkin gone we could do it. All it would take is 10-15k vets to hit the National Mall in D.C. and force the MSM’s attention on the circus that is currently being presented. Vets are still going in the ground and the only thing we can talk about is Shulkin dealing with a coup. Force the issue onto the television, fox news in particular, so Trump finally realizes he has to get rid of this clown and it’s a done deal.

  5. It is about time someone recognizes that the VA Department waste taxpayers money. They do not exercise their own rule of law. I have proof they have violated my rights by placing wrong information on the VACOLS to give the Board of Veterans Appeals illegal jurisdiction and the Board has ruled with illegal jurisdiction and they have violated my due process rights by vacating a Board decision of June 2016 when it did not meet the qualifications of 20..904 and violated a CAVC Court Order denying their Motion to Vacate it and did not apply the correct law new evidence in first instance. 3.156(b). I am entitled and been fighting 28 years and my congressman will not help now because he says it will violate ethics. But what about the ethics the VA has violated on me?

    1. @Shelia —> You stated, “I have proof they have violated my rights by placing wrong information on the VACOLS to give the Board of Veterans Appeals illegal jurisdiction and the Board has ruled with illegal jurisdiction and they have violated my due process rights by vacating a Board decision of June 2016 when it did not meet the qualifications of 20..904 and violated a CAVC Court Order denying their Motion to Vacate it and did not apply the correct law new evidence in first instance. 3.156(b).”

      Shelia – If can, please post what you have proof of. Post the names of people, places, or any governing, overseer, or authority associated with or related to the VA. In this manner, you never know if someone else had a run in, bad decision, violation, or what ever experienced by others. This is how we keep each other abreast of VA employees, processes, situations, circumstances, decisions, etc..

      Thanks Shelia, and keep posting things, because we need to know as much as the ins and outs of the VA.

  6. Sounds like our good Dr. Is going paranoid. I’m sure the VA has good psychiatrists who could help. I can’t see giving up the VA. It’s just the VA isn’t enough, alone.

  7. “Red Flag Gun Removal Laws” being pushed by POTUS= This was on NPR today, of which, giving local law enforcement and by proxy, the VA, the arbitrary ability to make assessments on the “fly” of who should or shouldn’t possess a weapon/firearm.
    This is plain taking/seizing guns from owners…1930’s Pre-Nazi Germany thought it was an innocuous little move as well until ALL GUNS were confiscated so the Nazi War and Control Machine could do what it did without anyone the wiser until way too late…

    If I had reproduced and had kids in todays nuts world and today’s USA, I would’ve HOME SCHOOLED THEM…fuck these public schools where it’s an indoctrination to becoming a sensitive snowflake that cannot be bothered to wipe their own asses until age 40…

  8. It looks like to me Shulkin is on the way out. You can’t watch your back 24/7 when so many others are out to get you. I can say though that whatever transpires, it won’t do us veterans any good. Nothing ever does. The Koch paid exec’s will get in power at the VA and the VA will get privatized and once it does it will work great for a very short time and then when the private care industry want more dollars and don’t get it, that’s where veterans won’t be seen by anybody in private care and there won’t be a VHA to fall back on…..And it’s always “thank you for your service”!

  9. Get the VA out of offering direct healthcare. Just give us a card that we can use, let us pick our own Physicians, deal with the Pharmacies, make our own appointments w/o VA involvement. And, make sure that the Medical Providers and Pharmacies get paid in 30 days or less. And shut down the VA facilities and use them only for employee gatherings, and slumber, holiday, and ice cream parties. It’s simple, get the VA directly out of healthcare, they use it against Veterans if the Vet disagrees with them. Get em out.

    1. Yes and prepate for calls from your friendly bill collectors when the doc dosent get paid in a timely manner.
      Too say goodbye to your good ctedit rating.

      1. Bill the collector can call me all fucking day if he wants to. The unfailing and unwavering response is “Go talk to my uncle Sam.” Credit reports can be disputed with a letter sent to all three monitoring agencies. Those agencies are Equifax, TransUnion, and Experion. Now ordinarily when congress makes a law then all parties involved are obligated under that law. If the government says “here’s a card and we’ll pay the bill” then they are legally required to do so. I know it sounds good on paper. It also sounds great in a court of law.

  10. Does anyone really think veteran care will be better in the so called private sector? OK – so you wouldn’t see portraits of the President and Sec VA du jour as you walk into a clinic. You’ll be asked for your insurance card, and the little chubby behind the window will look up at you with a tired snarl – “Oh, VA, thank you for your service. Just wait over there until we call your name”.

    Then wait for the bills to pile up. Then wait for Congress to bend you over and probe a lot deeper until they find that copay sweet spot. Pig Pharma and Pig Med wrote the book. The VA look like a bunch of rookies compared to the Medicare cabal. Those fucks will bankrupt the VA “source of funds” in a heart beat.

    But hey. Ignore all this. Let’s all get a fresh new flag and hang out at the local recruiter and encourage the next generation of loyal saps to prep themselves for a royal ass-fuckin.

    1. I look at it this way. If the govt gives me a card to use in the private sector that says I can get the health care I need and the bill goes to the govt. I decide to use that card at a doctors office and the doctor accepts that card and then bills the govt for services provided and the govt refuses to honor the request for payment. It’s not my problem. The discussion that needs to happen at that point is between the govt and the doctor. Leave me the fuck out of it. Eventually so many doctors will get stiffed by the govt that the medical profession at large will become extremely vociferous about not being paid. Maybe the govt will listen and do something then.

      The other side of the equation? Knowing what you know now about the VA do you really trust them with your life?

      1. Frankly, the only reason I’m at VA now is because PIG Pharma took nearly everything when I became a deplorable uninsurable. Half of that was due to the fact they fragged me with poisonous meds. I’ve learned a lot over the years. Trust the hippocratic oath at your own risk. Six in one, half dozen in ‘tuther…

    2. Well said!
      So called “Concerned Veterans of America” is a Kock brothers funded organization that believes in the so called “private sector” rip off.
      Beware whats happening to our country.

  11. VA Homicide
    _______
    Department of Veterans Affairs
    Office of Inspector General
    Report No. 17-01485-128
    Healthcare Inspection Mismanagement of a Resuscitation and Other Concerns Buffalo VA Medical Center Buffalo, New York
    March 12, 2018

    Executive Summary
    ________________

    “The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a healthcare inspection to evaluate the circumstances of a patient’s death involving the alleged mismanagement of the patient’s resuscitation (Event) at the Buffalo VA Medical Center (Facility), Buffalo, NY, and actions taken by Facility leaders subsequent to the death.

    In January 2017, the Facility Director contacted the OIG Criminal Inspection Division to report the death of a full-code status patient who did not receive immediate life-sustaining treatment after staff determined the patient was unresponsive.1 The Event occurred in late 2016. The Facility Director reported that a registered nurse (RN 1) did not “call a code” after finding the patient unresponsive because RN 1 did not want to put the patient’s body through trauma, such as cracked ribs, which RN 1 feared cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)/chest compressions would have caused.2

    We substantiated that RN 1 did not “call a code” after finding the full-code patient unresponsive. We were not able to determine the time of death. RN 1 believed the patient had been dead for 20 minutes and that, because the patient was frail, performing CPR would have crushed his chest.

    We determined RN 1 and a respiratory therapist (RT) acted outside their scopes of practice and violated Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and Facility policy when they announced that the patient was dead, which influenced others not to take appropriate action.

    We determined an RN tasked to monitor patients’ cardiac rhythms (RN 2) and a licensed practical nurse (LPN) failed to activate a Code Blue response and the LPN failed to initiate CPR during the Event.3 We also determined RN 2 improperly abandoned the telemetry desk during the Event, thereby temporarily placing other monitored patients at risk. We reviewed the 11 electronic health records of the remaining patients on the unit the day of the Event and found no quality of care issues that resulted from the telemetry monitoring station being left unattended.

    We determined that RN 1 and the RT displayed a lack of collaboration and teamwork during resuscitation efforts after an intern called a Code Blue, and that the staff may benefit from periodic interprofessional simulation-based mock code training to ensure a coordinated and organized effort when responding to Code Blue events.”

    “We determined that a series of failures relating to the telemetry monitoring of the patient contributed to the delayed response to the patient’s cardiac arrest. Specifically:

    • RN 2 failed to recognize cardiac rhythm changes that required immediate action.

    • RN 2 incorrectly interpreted the patient’s lethal cardiac rhythm as a benign, perfusing rhythm.4

    • The telemetry system recorded the sounding and silencing of multiple red alarms5 relating to the patient’s cardiac arrest, with no corresponding evidence of actions being taken (such as notifying the patient’s assigned nurse or charge nurse to take action).

    We also determined that failure to follow Facility policy for documenting changes to a patient’s cardiac rhythms impeded the ability to pinpoint changes in the patient’s rhythm and the need for a timely response.
    RN 1 told us that he/she listened to the patient’s lungs prior to his requested “as needed” breathing treatment; however he/she failed to document his/her assessment and the RT failed to assess the patient’s respiratory status, as required, before and after administering a scheduled respiratory treatment.

    While we could not know with certainty if assessing the patient’s lung sounds would have prompted staff to act differently, better documentation might have facilitated communication regarding the patient’s treatment needs.

    We identified administrative concerns related to Facility leaders’ response to the Event. Specifically, Facility leaders did not take appropriate timely steps to ensure patient safety when leaders failed to:

    • Immediately remove the involved staff from all types of direct patient care duties to ensure patient safety pending an investigation of the cause(s) of staff’s failure to call a code
    • Conduct a timely Administrative Investigation Board (AIB), a review to identify and effectively correct individual and systemic deficiencies
    • Conduct a Root Cause Analysis to identify potential process/system issues related to the Event

    In addition, Facility leaders did not submit an Issue Brief to the Veterans Integrated Service Network, and did not pursue notifying the patient’s family or personal representative after identifying staff failed to appropriately respond to the patient’s cardiac arrest.

    During our initial site visit, we recommended that Facility leaders consider whether they had an obligation to disclose the potential lapse in care to the patient’s next of kin. During our second site visit, we were advised that the Facility’s Performance Manager (PM) called the patient’s family and that the family declined to have the discussion.

    When the PM spoke to the patient’s family, he/she advised them that upon reviewing the decedent’s record the Facility identified some “opportunities for improvement” and wanted to schedule a meeting with the patient’s family, physician, and members of the performance management department.

    According to the PM’s notes of the conversation with the family member, he/she did not inform the family that staff failed to provide timely resuscitation efforts and that the purpose of the requested meeting was to disclose information that may indicate the patient did not receive appropriate care.

    Full report on this Homicide at: “https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-17-01485-128.pdf”

    1. So, the RN was pounding the silence alarm button like whack-a-mole, and the only recommendation I can see is the IG said they should have more training on how to do a Code Blue?

      I guess training an RN on how to recognize a heart attack is too much to expect.

      1. How does an engorged purple team RN even physically DO resuscitation? Do they just repeated sit on Veteran chests since physics of flubber will not allow the normal way?

        A very **BASIC** Red Cross course on lifesaving technics that can be attained by any pedestrian is ALL IT TAKES…not some lazy, fat-ass, indifferent asswipe that will be going through your pockets for that last M&M or Skittles as the patient turns bluer and bluer…that’s a ‘code blue’ for the VA. (blue M&M’s)

      2. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the VAIG recommending that VA take steps to insure those staff monitoring things like a heart monitor are competent. As in competent in knowing what the alarm is. As in competent in knowing CPR might be needed if the little light comes on and they hear a ding ding ding sound.

        …and the IG was referring to a Registered Nurse. A Registered Nurse more concerned over the possibility of broken ribs rather than the poor bastard dying.

        One could assume they would have an AED on a ward where they are supposed to be monitoring heart function.

        …but then, that would assume those fucking idiots would be competent in using one and not zapping each other.

    2. The more I think of this Seymore, the more I think it clearly shows the culture of staff at the VA.
      2 supposedly trained professionals would rather not get off their fat ass to see why some old guy is having a problem, so an intern has to take action.
      Facility leadership can’t do their job in reporting or following up once the old guy is dead.
      The VA IG can only recommend more training might prevent more old guys from dying.

      Why even hook them up to any monitor?

      1. For me after reading the full report. It just seems it is the standard at the VA. The two nurses responsible only fought with one another over who’s job it was to take care of the Veteran. The new intern is likely the person who reported the death that was being swept under the rug.

        It was the intern who’s job it wasn’t that took the actions that both of the nurses were required to do.

        The fact that no one has been arrest for intentional homicide in this case show just how unjust things can get at the VA. Two nurses fighting over who’s job it is to take care of a Veteran while the Veteran is dying as they argue about it. Both knowing that their inaction was going to kill the Veteran.

        Latter to claim BS about not know what to do or how to do it just does not wash.

  12. The (new) leadership/cabinet secretary needs to attempt to make an appointment to be seen by a VA care provider. That my friends is the front door through which we must all pass. The existing VA appointment system is non-functional not because of those in the VA appointment call center staff but because of the INSANE rules and scripts that must be followed by the call center staff.
    …In the know zone

  13. I’ll defend the VA. Where it is good it is good. But even there there are assholes. Some more so than others. But I’ve had a lot of good treatment from the VA over nearly 50 years. I just opt out of care by assholes. Often takes a letter to the congressman to change PCP or get a different specialist.

    And the worst VA experiences I’ve had are when they sent me to private contractors. A neurology clinic in Scottsbluff, NE had me seen by a NP. The NP declared her ability to overrule the MRI reading by a Resident with the supervising Radiologists co-signature on a MRI report.

    Took a couple of months but she was let go. The attorney for the medical center, believe it or not, asserted her training allowed her to do her own MRI reading without consulting the Radiologist who had provided the report.

    1. Amazing, the dumbing down of treatment and decision making by the VA. Soon it will be the janitorial staff who will be making these decisions.

      1. I think I might just be OKAY with the VA janitorial staff calling important medical life & death decisions.
        Why?
        Because THOSE JOBS are usually held by only we lowly Veterans and I’d trust ANY Veteran reading an MRI over any of these third world hacks or the third world hacks from the USA working there.

        Remember, a mop or broom handle can become an instant weapon in a moments notice and also would be much more sanitary than the VA’s own colonoscopy equipment…and dare I go further out on a limb and suggest those Veteran Janitors would also know how to properly use the nomenclature sanitizer…over any third world VA hack.

  14. HA! What a friggin circus. While veterans suffer the consequences of VA leadership being distracted by petty games.

    Shulkin needs to get his shit together and figure out who he wants to work for….the man who appointed him, or the cronies in congress who view him as a piggy bank for their donors.

    I could understand Shulkin naively running to the press after the first WH meeting, but running to the press after his second meeting in which he got his ass chewed for running to the press is stupid.

    I believe it is telling though that his first instinct in dealing with a problem is to run to the media to get his side of the story out.

    Now we know why the VA pays such huge amounts for PR and propaganda. Its easier to issue a press release than it is to fix the problem at hand.

    If Shulkin is looking to get launched on his ass off his Stairmaster, cutting off contact with other appointees is a damn good way to do it.

  15. As the stomach churns. My unit just lost another soldier to suicide the other day. Overdose. Many good fighting men I deployed to hell’s doorstep with are kicking off right and left because none of us can get the benefits or treatment we were promised. I for one am sick and tired of being gimped up and kept constantly poor because of these fucking commie losers like Jane and all the rest of them. I was wounded in action in Iraq 2009 and left with a leg injury, arm injury and spinal injury amongst others. VA diagnosed TBI and PTSD but denied service connection. I fucked my arm and shoulder up in the same accident but can’t get no justice in communist ass ohio. Thanks to the affirmative action types infesting the hospitals it’s not only grand incompetence but outright racism. Let me say this much: I went to a hospital here one time and found serious security flaws. I left my heater in the car but found out there are no metal detectors in the back of the joint and they leave all the doors unlocked. I’m not suggesting anything other than if one high speed low drag operator can figure that out so can another with different intentions. I really shouldn’t care because the same hospital had a huge drug sting in the parking lot right next to a military supply depot. The swamp stench is unbearable. I was getting dental but got cut off for complaining about sub par interns. Should have kept my mouth shut. Now my teeth are fucked and there is nothing I can do about it.

    Anyways, fuck all of you I’m off for a drink.

    1. What nobody is talking about and maybe it hasn’t occurred to the average Joe Snuffy. What happens when a few crazies decide to get together and coordinate a little shindig at a soft target. I mean honestly lets face it a coordinated 2-4 person team could fuck up a whole lot of days in a lot of righteous ways. Security Theater is just that…Theater.

  16. I’ve got a sneaky suspicion we’re going to see “bots”, as in “Jane Dumestre”, come on here and try to defend the VA.
    Her “reading skills” are evidently not up to par – as can be witnessed by her reply to my earlier comment.
    I never spoke FOR all vets! Only those wanting to receive high quality healthcare!

    Until the VA is shed of ALL the unions, their corruption, waste, fraud and abuse will continue.
    Until those, at any VA or VHA, who’ve allowed veterans to die are arrested and tried for their indiscretions, nothing will change!
    Until someone will balls is put in charge of this criminal enterprise, nothing will change!

    Remember how a mayor, out of West Virginia, put the kabosh on a director being shipped into his city recently? Why can’t more mayors and/or governors take his lead and say *”Enough is Enough,
    I’m going to protect my veterans from criminals!”

  17. the problem with the VA is the retribution you can expect if you expose any of them. They all stick together cause they all have a bag stashed with wrong doings. I befriended a few of them and privately they tell things which would get them fired in public. Sort of like the entire house of Representatives

  18. I think we might have seriously misunderestimated the talent pool at VA. Even with the injection of military intelligence into their national PR department it seems they are just no smarter than before.

    In fact this shit makes climbing out of a rubber hippos ass seem pretty smart. Has anyone approached Jim Carey for the top VA slot? He has the moves.

  19. I agree with most of what you said James, except for this

    “If a VBA claim filed by a veteran is found to be a false one designed to scam the system, the VA will have to prove in civil court that a false claim was intentionally submitted.”

    Absolutely NOT! I dont care if its a Veteran or not if they file a claim and its found to be a false claim designed to scam the system, there is NO reason for the VA to have to prove that it was intentionally filed or not as it WAS intentionally filed by the person knowing it was a scam. I find it VERY hard to believe that one would not know it was a scam when they filed it. The person who filed the claim will have the following done:

    1. They will have the claim denied and if they have received any form of benefits because of the claim they will be required to repay the benefits at cost.

    2. They will be banned from all VA facilities

    3. They will lose any benefits they originally have or had and will not be allowed to file for any more.

    It makes no difference if you are a Veteran or not, if you are scamming the system then you are harming the Veterans who actually need the benefit that you are stealing, and as such said person now has no honor and is lower then snail shit and does not deserve to even be called a Veteran, let alone be in the same room with any Veteran. Because of people like this and doing this, I had to fight tooth and nail for over 25+ years to receive my rating even though I provided the VA with a medical time line showing all of my surgeries and what they were for and when they were done and why, thus showing that my injuries were growing worse and worse. So my apologies but I have nothing but utter disgust for anyone, Veteran or not; who files a claim knowing that it is a scam claim.

    Now as for the VA sec. I dont care if its a male or a female, Vet or not. I only care about results. And if after 90 days they cant produce any then they are fired and someone else takes their place and they have 90 days to put up or move out. Unions in the VA system will be eliminated. The job of the worker at a VA facility is to care for the Veterans, end of story. If they cant do that then they dont need to apply. And if they have three complaints against them, then they are fired. If they go on strike then they are fired the minute they walk out the door. This stupidity of letting Veterans die waiting for appointments or trying to drag their feet when a Veterans Doctor requests something or a VA Pharmacy refusing to fill a prescription that a VA doctor ordered stops now.

    1. @Dan – – – “Absolutely NOT! I dont care if its a Veteran or not if they file a claim and its found to be a false claim designed to scam the system, there is NO reason for the VA to have to prove that it was intentionally filed or not as it WAS intentionally filed by the person knowing it was a scam. I find it VERY hard to believe that one would not know it was a scam when they filed it. The person who filed the claim will have the following done:

      1. They will have the claim denied and if they have received any form of benefits because of the claim they will be required to repay the benefits at cost.

      2. They will be banned from all VA facilities.

      3. They will lose any benefits they originally have or had and will not be allowed to file for any more.”

      I morally agree with that. I have been fighting both the Navy, and the VA since 1995 for my benefits. I have been chronically unemployed since my military service, have been homeless multiple times, have attempted suicide multiple times, written the President pleading for help, etc.

      The clowns in the Mental Health Clinic at Spark Matsunaga VAMC are some of the most clueless assholes I have ever encountered in my life. They want to hear why you are there, but they want to hear it in flowery language.

      Were my life story flowery – – – – I would not need the clueless asshole’s “help”. They do not listen, they make “facts” up that are simply not true, they cut veterans off mid-sentence when they are speaking,and they always let you know that they are there for you – – – and “THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE”. I wonder if they know how infuriating that is to hear those words come out of their mouths – – – when what they really are doing is furthering the damage and wasting my time. And the VSO’s over here are WAY TOO FAR in bed with the VA.

      So I avoid them all like the plague when I can. Congress Critters are no help. I do not condone mass killing of unarmed civilians, but I can certainly understand how those thoughts get into some veterans minds. When I take myself out – – – I have enough honor left, to ensure that their will be zero collateral damage.

      If they TRULY wanted to thank me – – – they would actually do something that would benefit me in a positive way, rather than blowing smoke up my ass.

      I am going to use part of what you wrote in the rant that I post. It is a work in progress as Seymore Klearly has noted more than once. I will thank you up front for your contribution to its development.

      Frankly, Modern politics is why this country is all fucked up. There should be no politics when it comes to taking care of our nations veterans who have honorably served.

    2. Dan have and don’t avoid this statement what have you done to improve Veteran Health Care?

      1. What have I done? I have had the head pharmacist at the FT VA demoted for refusing to follow a doctors orders as I turned them in to the VISN 11 and the National Office in DC. The Chief of staff was warned that if this happened again HE would be next on the list, and the Hospital director was removed for her lack of help in getting this matter resolved. I can only work in my local VA but if you know of any way I can help nationally then speak up

    3. Dan have and don’t avoid this statement what have you done for Veterans.

      1. What have you done? Enlighten me, Doctor. Five people are dead because your profession and colleagues can not recognize ptsd when you see it. I can recognize it, I bet most of the people here can recognize it, but three of your colleagues could not. There were fuckin with something they didn’t know how to fuck with.

  20. The only thing I can say money talks and Veterans Affairs Committee plus Concerned Veterans for America Director of New Hampshire sucks plus our Senators and Representatives don’t care about care about Veterans does anyone $20 million dollars I can have.

  21. How about this;
    1.) For ALL those vets who like VA, let them use it and good luck to them!

    2.) For vets who like their PCP, only want to also use the private sector for “specialty healthcare”, give them a “card”!

    3.) For vets who want all around private healthcare, give them a “medical healthcare card” to be used in the private sector!

    #2 & #3 comes down to VA being able to pay the private sector healthcare providers expeditiously! “Champva”(or whatever it’s called) has been suggested multiple times by vets.

    I don’t understand why VA (especially “drama queen” Shulkin) can’t see most vets DON’T want VHA’s healthcare! We’re tired of being used as “guinea pigs” in/or as “test subjects” for Big Pharma and Medical University students!
    We’re tired of all the lies by VA employees, starting with Shulkin all the way down to the lowest employee!
    We’re tired of seeing, almost daily, reports out of the MASSIVE CORRUPTION, WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE by just about every single VA employee!
    We’re tired of reading/seeing articles where (alleged) healthcare professionals MURDER vets and ARE NOT prosecuted! Why are they allowed to be transferred or retire with full benefits?
    We’re tired of a union, AFGE, being allowed to protect VA employees! Especially when the union knows full well the VA employee is guilty of crimes against veterans and taxpayers!

    That’s my opinion, this Monday gloomy morning!

    1. You don’t speak for all vets. In New Orleans we DO want VHA care because we have a STELLAR VAMC and if the VA had any sense, they’d study what NOLA VAMC is doing right and institute those changes in ALL existing and future VA systems.

      1. @Jane- Not all is peachy at all VAMC’s down in LA and maybe your VA should share what’s it’s doing right for the huge scamming mess left at Overton Brooks VA, when the director, a Toby Mathew.
        “Louisiana Overton Brooks VAMC Director Removed” (Feb. 2017), “https://www.disabledveterans.org/2017/02/03/louisiana-overton-brooks-vamc-director-removed/”

        What’s that saying about stones and glass houses? 😀

      2. @Jane- “[…The move apparently came at the behest of local officials seeking support from VA senior leadership…]”

        ^THAT^ implies that all the local law enforcement and attorneys that Veterans in LA have been complaining to about VA leadership and failed VA medical FELL ON DEAF EARS down in LA…

      3. @Jane- YET ANOTHER LA scumbag: “[…After two years, one VA employee(Fredrick Harris) charged with beating a 70-year old veteran to death is still working at the Alexandria VA, in Louisiana, after VA absolved the nurse’s aide of wrongdoing….]”
        “https://www.disabledveterans.org/2015/12/11/va-employee-charged-with-beating-elderly-patient-to-death-still-employed-at-va/”

        So Jane, GOOD FOR YOU that the New Orleans VAMC is JUST SWELL…it’s not the complete picture you’re gazing at. Just saying…

      4. Jane,
        Read #1 again! I said, quote; “For all those vets who like VA, let them use it and good luck to them!”
        Evidently, your “reading skills” are below par!

      5. Jane, regardless of whether your VA is stellar as you claim, there are many more VAs that are absolute disasters.

        Your attitude that other vets should just shut up about those disasters because you get good care is as disgusting as our so-called Veterans Service Organizations ignoring their own members suffering in order to protect their status and access.

        I’m trying to figure out though…are you the same Jane Dumestre who founded a Veterans Choice group? If so, why the need for the group If your VA is so stellar?
        Are you still active with VVA and DAV? If so, you must agree with their positions on protecting the union at VA at all costs.

        What makes your opinion any more valid than others?

  22. “[…Shulkin apparently had to dispute his side against Hegseth on the spot, a confrontation Trump probably stirred up to send a message to Shulkin about his antics with the press….]”-

    Speaking of ‘spots’, after that meeting in The Oval Office, VA Sec. Shulkin left an oval stain spot on that carpet when he shat himself when he found out nobody wants to play Hungry, Hungry Hippos HIS WAY.

    (Piggy VSO’s are currently still lapping that stain right-up, saving taxpayers a cleaning crew)

    1. Yep…Shulkin, McDonald, union, VSOs, private interests – all pigs in mud fighting over hogging the slop.

      All of them are disgusting…pond scum calling sewage slime.

      1. Jane, if you think Trump is a huge piece of sewerage as you say, then be glad that Hillary the Hag didnt get in, or did you seemingly forget that she used Military members in dress uniforms as WAIT STAFF at her dinners in the WH. Or that she and her snot nosed satans spawn REFUSED to allow Military members to wear uniforms around them. Or that they called Veterans “unpatriotic” because they wanted us to actually PAY for our medical treatments at the VA and Veterans and Veterans groups fought Hillary the Hag tooth and nail to stop this! So if you think you would have received better treatment if Hillary the Hag would have been elected, boy are you in for a shock as a leopard cannot change their spots.

      2. I personally don’t give a damn what Political side per the VA. They know its broken, Vets are dying, love ones, caretakers, and service animals being negatively affected/effected. So just fix the damn VA Send a message to the corrupt VA Federal employees, let them know you mean business. get rid of the Union, and give Vets a medical card so we can pick our own outside services. Simple, save lives, save money, save heartbreak and frustrations.

  23. O F F – T O P I C (???)

    Apparently, Shithead Shulkin has now posted an armed guard outside his office. More details at:

    “https://a.msn.com/r/2/BBK3AyN?m=en-us”

    1. What Sec. Shulkin needs more than an armed guard is an industrial umbrella. Why? Because there’s a (more likely than not), the chance of chunky poop canon fallout wherever Shulkin should roam than warm lead, and god forbid Shulkin’s golden god parachute should have any blemishes! 😀

    2. Ben, I hope you file a FOIA request for any documentation Shulkin can produce showing why he needs this armed guard outside his door.

      1. “A Day To Remember- Paranoia”, (armed-guard VA Sec. Shulkin music)

        “Paranoia

        Go!

        [Verse 1]
        Expect the worst of everyone I meet,
        Count the clock cause I can’t fucking sleep.
        Shootin’ pain like a heart attack,
        Call my friends, I might not make it back.

        [Pre-Chorus]
        The doctor says I’m heading for destruction,
        Something’s gotta give…

        [Chorus]
        I’m like a time bomb ticking in your head,
        Paranoia clouding your judgment.
        And no matter what you do about it, about it, about it,
        I’m still in your head!

        [Verse 2]
        I stop and stare scared of the unknown!
        Unknown numbers been blowing up my phone.
        I’m hearing footsteps outside of my house,
        I’m afraid someones trying to take me out.

        [Pre-Chorus]
        The doctor says I’m heading for destruction,
        Can I fucking live?

        [Chorus]
        I’m like a time bomb ticking in your head,
        Paranoia clouding your judgment.
        And no matter what you do about it, about it, about it.
        I’m like a time bomb ticking in your head,
        Paranoia clouding your judgment.
        And no matter what you do about it, about it, about it,
        I’m still in your head!

        [Hook]
        (I’m still in your head, I’m still in your head)
        I am your breaking point!

        You can’t run, you can’t hide,
        I’ll be there when you close your eyes at night.
        I’m always watching you!

        [Bridge]
        The doctor says I’m heading for destruction,
        My time is wearing thin…

        [Outro]
        I’m like a time bomb ticking in your head,
        Paranoia clouding your judgment.
        And no matter what you do about it, about it, about it.
        I’m like a time bomb ticking in your head (time bomb),
        Paranoia clouding your judgment (judgment).
        And no matter what you do about it, about it, about it,
        I’m still in your head!”

  24. It is high time for some real leadership at the VA. Leadership that speaks truth publicly about how bad things have really gotten. Leadership that develops solutions to take better care of ALL our nations warriors.

    Leadership that recognizes that when they are doing a good job – – – it will be veterans singing their praises, rather than the VA needing a PR Agency to put out “Fluff Pieces” to mislead America and her citizen’s about what a stellar job they are doing.

    They are not. In fact, they are doing a very piss-poor job. The VA has a first-world budget which they use to provide veterans less than third-world medical care.

    Current VA leadership has their Brain Housing Group the size of mice and their Heart no bigger. It is about FIFTEEN YEARS PAST TIME TO FIX THE GODDAMN BROKEN VA:

    1. IMMEDIATELY recognize the problems inherent in the VA are SYSTEM-WIDE, not just limited to a few locations.

    2. Fire all the Lazy No Good Workers. Fire EVERY single AFGE/SES Employee.

    3. Sell off all the VA facilities. Alternatively, they may be converted into military barracks-style housing for homeless veterans.

    4. Issue all veterans a card that allows them to choose their own doctors within their community that they can TRUST.

    5. The United States Government will PAY those doctors promptly (Within 45 days) for the care they provide veterans.

    6. ELIMINATE the “Federal Protection” Umbrella for incompetent QUACKS that the VA sends to other states to practice other than their own. Going to practice in XX state? You need to be LICENSED in XX state.

    7. Any claim a veteran submits to the VBA that requires more than 90 days to adjudicate, is automatically found to be in favor of the veteran. If a VBA claim filed by a veteran is found to be a false one designed to scam the system, the VA will have to prove in civil court that a false claim was intentionally submitted.

    8. All veterans will be allowed to seek/retain the services of a Veterans Rights Attorney from their first initial contact with the VA. This will help to protect the legal rights of veterans against corrupt and incompetent VA employees.

    9. No AFGE, nor any other Labor Union business will be allowed to take place in any Federal Workplace. Conducting Union Business during working hours will be STRICTLY PROHIBITED, and will be STRICTLY ENFORCED. Should any government employee be found violating this provision, it will result in IMMEDIATE LIFETIME DISMISSAL FROM ANY/ALL GOVERNMENTAL EMPLOYMENT.

    10. Attorneys for appeal will be retained at the former employee’s PERSONAL expense. U. S. Taxpayer’s will not be subject to payment of legal bills for incompetent or dishonest personnel with regards to Governmental Employment.

    You have my contact information Mr. President. Call me anytime. I have a lot of ideas to help this nation improve the services provided to my fellow veterans. The ones that were promised, but have yet to be delivered upon. Veterans have been waiting for over fifty years for the fulfillment of those promises. I will not hesitate to speak up at all.

    For my fellow veterans who have been ill-served by this DERAILED CLUSTERFUCK of a GOD AWFUL TRAIN WRECK CALLED THE VA over the years:

    Our battles overseas were far less stressful than our war here at home. Never Cruel or cowardly. Never Give Up. Never Give In. We are on the Righteous path.

    POTUS Reagan broke up PATCO in the ’80’s. Time for POTUS Bone Spurs to break up the AFGE. The vast majority of our current Congress Critters do NOT have Veterans Interests at heart. Perhaps their replacements will. VOTE OUT all these WORTHLESS BASTARDS.

    Give their replacement’s one term to take care of Veterans who put aside their own personal lives to answer this nation’s call when she needed them. Many of those Veterans suffer the remainder of their lives for doing what most of their countrymen had not the courage to do.

    If they cannot MUSTER THE STONES to do it properly – – – vote their worthless asses out as well. Party should NOT MATTER. What SHOULD MATTER is their VOTING RECORDS ON VETERANS ISSUES.
    Rhetoric is cheap. Congressional Voting Records speak louder than words.

    NO Combat Veteran should be surprised when the next McVeigh, Congressional Baseball Team, or Las Vegas Sniper Incident occurs. Bound to happen. Just a matter of time . . .

    We have now reached the next accelerative phase of our country falling apart. Country before Party. Principles before Personalities. Always.

    Want to REALLY fix the VA? The next SecVA needs to be a former Enlisted Man brought in from the general veteran population with a few serious axes to grind against the VA and the AFGE, with zero previous governmental civilian service.

    Apparently, Former Flag Officers and SES appointed Civilians can’t cut the mustard . . .

    Maybe a SINCERELY MOTIVATED Gunnery Sergeant or Chief Petty Officer CAN.

    Disgruntled Veteran
    1973 – 1976 USMC
    1978 – 1993 USN
    Wounded Warrior
    Honolulu, Hawaii

    1. I agree with everything you’ve said I’ve been saying the same thing but you added some I waited 1 year 4 months to get my dentures fixed and replaced properly the va lied to me o the phone and to my face was without teeth four four months they were broken all of this is service connected I’m so tired of the VA the government would save money if they did this no overhead on cost for buildings and worthless management employees that make everything worse

    2. Better yet force all federal bureaucracies and elected officials to use the VA health care system.

  25. Common sense: why not have commander of a major medical center in charge of the Veterans administration. Military personnel have the ability both to communicate with the client and know proper procedure in varying arenas of operations. Civilians,most having never served don’t grasp why veterans get so frustrated when being dissed by staff.There’s too many double standards and some pretty useless staff,marking time for retirement,hiding behind the NAGE,union reps. VETERANS DON’T HAVE ANYONE,INCLUDING PT ADVOCATES(since they they work for the Director)If the veterans reach out to congress,the complaint letter is sent back to the hospital or the PR OFFICE. The veteran isn’t listened to.
    Something has to change.the Potus,says we matter,then why all these crappy appointments for Sec. Of VA.

    1. Linda, the best VA I ever went to was run by a Colonel in the Army Reserves who was a surgeon.

      I’ve noticed many of the worst run VAs are those where the Director wiggled their ass up the ladder as fast as possible. If that meant moving somewhere for a promotion every two years, that’s what they did. People like that are very familiar with policy and process, but they have either lost sight of or have no knowledge of why they exist…other than to perpetuate their own bureaucracy.

      I can’t give too many details yet, but I have been involved in a group looking at processes at a VA. It is for a very specific department. After an hour of discussion, I was shocked at the amount of bureaucracy involved, processes that must be followed, and scripts that must be followed so a veteran can be seen. Its bullshit bureaucracy that is all designed to force certain people to do their jobs and generate statistics. The bottom line is to create more processes solely to improve certain statistics reported to VA HQ.

      At the expense of every veteran trying to get care. Its disgusting given some of the excuses given.

      1. 91Veteran,
        You are on the tip of the spear; bureaucracy, processes, scripts etc. at the VA just to obtain an appointment I cant say for certain that there are, or are not, statistical reasons for the complicated mess required to get an appointment; however, I can say with certainty that the problem is bigger than you (or any of us) may ever know. The entire scheduling to be seen problem is that the VA took a problem with a simple solution and complicated it beyond the ability of a NASA engineer to understand, just to make an appt. for a veteran to be seen a care provider.
        Fact: VA phone center schedulers are not the problem (see bureaucracy, processes, scripts above), the VA phone center schedulers cannot get the VA clinics (Dr’s./Nurses/staff) to answer their own clinic phones…
        …I’m in the know zone

      2. CallmeBob, you are spot on with that. Their own tiny survey reflected that veterans were not getting return calls from Primary Care teams, but it appears nobody is willing to address that directly. They would rather manipulate and add bureaucracy to make statistics look better.

        A seriously major problem that is clear to any honest person is that the VA does a very piss poor job at communicating to veterans…then they bitch when veterans find their own way through the bureaucracy. Its amazing to listen to these people brag about services they may have, then complain when a veteran does something because the veteran is not informed of how to obtain them, or the veteran goes outside the bureaucratic script to get them.

        Its also shocking to hear them admit certain staff flat out refuse to do things other than the absolute minimum required to keep their job. Rather than blaming veterans, they need to take a serious look at their own staff.

  26. Issue an I.D. card that acts like an insurance card. A veteran gets treated at any facility that accepts the card and that’s it. The medical facility files for reimbursement, but that system needs to be stream lined to reimburse quickly.

    1. Agreed. Forget privatization, that will only subject us to government contractors who overbill and under serve.

      Just give us an insurance card like Medicare/Medicaid and let us choose our doctors. That will open up the door to physicians/medical facilities that will compete for our business – which will also drive innovation (i.e. prostetics).

      1. Totally agree. don’t touch my New Orleans VAMC…they have gone above and beyond the call of duty for me since 1978 and should be the model by which ALL VAMC’s should be operated.

        Privatization just opens our pockets up for corporate graft. We will get lesser treatment in the private sector because the VA will not compensate doctors at market rates, but pay them 2/3 less than they receive from paying customers with actual insurance. Doctors will not want to treat us.

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